Jiang Silu followed the tour guide, listening to the commentary and taking pictures.
She took pictures of the horse-head walls, the carved windows, the reflection in South Lake, and even a few ducks swimming in the water.
She sent the photos to Jiang Yixia and Lu Fan with a message: "The houses here are so beautiful, even prettier than the pictures in books."
Lu Fan replied instantly: "Stay safe. Stick close to the guide."
Jiang Yixia replied as well: "Dress warmly. It's cold in the mountains."
Jiang Silu smiled as she looked at the two messages.
She replied, "Got it," put her phone away, and continued to look around.
Over the next few days, Jiang Silu sent them photos every day.
The memorial archways of Xidi, the ancestral halls of Chengkan, the Xu Guo Stone Archway in She County—she sent photos of them all, one after another, each taken with care and attention to detail.
Lu Fan looked at every picture, occasionally replying with "Not bad," "Looks good," or "Stay safe."
